Informal Learning: The Basics

Informal Learning Basics
Saul Carliner, PhD, CTDP
Professor
Graduate Programs in Educational Technology
Concordia University
Montreal, Quebec
saulcarliner@hotmail.com
www.saulcarliner.com
© Copyright. Saul Carliner, 2010-2017. All rights reserved.

Activity
1. One at a time, I will present several
statements to you.
2. As you read each statement, indicate
whether you agree or disagree with it.
3. Then, we’ll discuss your responses.
4. I’ll close each discussion by presenting
relevant research and its implications.

But First…
What do you hope to learn from this
presentation?

Question 1
Formal learning refers to classroom
learning.
☐ Agree
☐ Disagree

If you dis-agreed with the
statement—and feel
comfortable doing so—please
explain why you feel that way.

If you agreed with the statement
—and feel comfortable doing so
—please explain why you feel
that way.

Question 2
Informal learning refers to the courses
offered by art museums and similar cultural
institutions.
☐ Agree
☐ Disagree

Terminology Easily Confuses
Common Terms What They Referto
Formal learning Classroom instruction
Diploma- and degree programs
Certification programs
Certificate programs
Informal learning Self-study programs with or without a stated goal
Programs offered by arts organizations
Formally structured programs, but outside of a school structure and with no
formal recognition at the end
Nonformal learning Programs offered by arts organizations
Formally structured programs, but outside of a school structure and with no
formal recognition at the end
Accidental learning in non-learning contexts
Incidental learning Accidental learning in non-learning contexts
Self-directed
learning
Self-study programs aiming towards a goal (usually overseen by a tutor and
formalized with a co ntract)
Ubiquitous learning Always available learning, especially through social media and mobile devices
(If you observe duplication, it’s not an accident.)

Informal learning involves
learner control over aspects of:
Process (who
controls and
assesses the
learning
process)
Location
(intended for
learning)
Purpose (is
learning is a
primary or
secondary
goal)
Content
(abstract or
technical, or
related to a
practical,
everyday skill)
Consciousnes
s (awareness
that learning
occurred)
Colley, H., Hodkinson, P., & Malcolm, J. (2003). Wihak (2009)

For Our Discussion
Term Use
Formal learning Instruction in which the instructor or some similar “expert” sets the
objectives and determine the requirements for successful completion
Informal learning Instruction in which some combination of process, purpose, location,
content, and consciousness are determined by learners.
Nonformal
learning
Learning that happens incidentally, accidental learning in non-
learning contexts
Incidental
learning
Same as nonformal learning
Self-directed
learning
Self-study programs aiming towards a goal (usually overseen by a
tutor and formalized with a co ntract)

Question 3
Informal learning really took hold as part of
Web 2.0.
☐ Agree
☐ Disagree

Informal learning dates to the first
humans.
Before
formal
schooling
1960s and
1970s
1970s and
1980s
Early 1990s Late 1990s Late
2000s
De-facto
and formal
apprentice-
ships
“School of
life”
Self-
directed
learning
Informal
(then free-
choice)
learning
Adult
learning
theory
Performance
support
Knowledge
management
Informal
learning

A combination of factors have
revived interest in informal learning.
Changes in
business
competition
and
employment
practices
Technology
Evidence of
how people
learn their
jobs

Question 4
Because it involves learning the proper
ways of performing work, new employee
orientation is not a good candidate for
informal learning.
☐ Agree
☐ Disagree

Phases in the Life Cycle of a Job
(Carliner, 2012)
Orient
workers to
the
technical
aspects of
a job
Orient
workers to
the values
and
culture of
the group
Expand
the scope
of
assignme
nts a
worker
can
handle
Build
workers’
proficienc
y
Help
workers
deal with
undocu-
mented
problems
Update
workers’
skills
Help
workers
choose
career
goals
Prepare
workers
for the
next job
Informal learning supports the
development of workers throughout
their tenures in jobs.

The extent of informal learning at a
phase varies by the ease with which
the material can be explicitly taught.
1 4 3 3 5 2 4 3
Orient
workers to
the
technical
aspects of
a job
Orient
workers to
the values
and culture
of the group
Expand the
scope of
assignment
s a worker
can handle
Build
workers’
proficiency
Help
workers
deal with
undocu-
mented
problems
Update
workers’
skills
Help
workers
choose
career
goals
Prepare
workers for
the next job
(1—extremely easily, 5—extremely difficult)

A variety of interventions support
development support informal
learning at each phase.
Technical
training
OJT
Observation
and feedback
on the job
Onboarding
Social
activities
Stories and
Experiences
Gaming-
simulations
Performance
support
Performance
support
Tips and
tricks
Seminars
Forums to
ask questions
Coaching
Lunch and
learns
Case studies
“Communities
”
Peer learning
Seminars
Independent
research and
study
Trial and error
Documentatio
n
Update
classes
Conferences
Seminars
News
Observation
and
Feedback
Coaching
Lunch and
learn
Mentoring
Coaching
Internships
Informational
interviews
Job
shadowing
Internships
Education
Development
al
assignments
Credentialing
Job
shadowing
Internships
Orient
workers to the
technical
aspects of a
job
Orient
workers to the
values and
culture of the
group
Expand the
scope of
assignments
a worker can
handle
Build workers’
proficiency
Help workers
deal with
undocumente
d problems
Update
workers’ skills
Help workers
choose
career goals
Prepare
workers for
the next job

Question 5
Because learners are motivated, they tend
to learn more with informal learning.
☐ Agree
☐ Disagree

Workers tend to learn on their own
schedule (which may differ from
yours).Time
to
perfor-
mance
None Extensive
Extent of intervention

Lacking context, informal learners
might reach incomplete or incorrect
conclusions that need “unlearning.”
The McDonald’s Hamburger Makers

Lacking context, informal learners
might reach incomplete or incorrect
conclusions that need “unlearning.”
The McDonald’s Hamburger Makers
Called m inim ally g uide d instructio n

Workers—rather than employers—
drive informal learning.
Research suggests that:
Informal learners often focus on topics of
interest to them—and avoid ones with little or
no interest.
Without external incentives, many learners:
– Start self-study programs without finishing them
– Fail to identify the take-away messages of a
learning program

Like all forms of learning, informal
learning has its strengths and
drawbacks.

Question 6
Because so much information is available
on the net, traditional schools, books, and
periodicals are going to go the way of the
dinosaur.
☐ Agree
☐ Disagree

Quantity of information on the Web
does not mean quality information.
Limits on:
Information quality Search skills

Question 7
Social media are the best way to learn
informally.
☐ Agree
☐ Disagree

Informal learning takes many forms.
Work processes with learning as a by-product
Work assignments and projects
Developmental assignments
Independent research and study
Trial and error
Meetings
Documentation
Knowledge bases
Advertising and similar brief messages
Learning activities or processes embedded in work activities
On-the-job training (OJT)
Giving and receiving feedback
Performance support
Coaching
Mentoring
Communities of practice
Networks
Gaming-simulations
Case studies
Learning processes at or near workplace processes
Formal courses
Tutorials and guided tours
Lunch and learns
Seminars, symposia, conferences, and
webinars

Question 8
We can significantly reduce our training
budget by emphasizing informal learning.
☐ Agree
☐ Disagree

One of the many great
misconceptions about 70:20:10.

One of the many great
misconceptions about 70:20:10.
BTW: Mo st re se arche rs stro ng ly sug g e st
cautio n abo ut acce pting this fram e wo rk; it is
no t validate d by re se arch de spite claim s to
the co ntrary. (De Bruyke re & Kirschne r,
20 1 5. )

Consider these two facts.
Most of the research on the
extent of informal learning
suggests that people engage
in 250 to 800 hours of it per
year.
If employers were to limit
hours to 10% of that, they
would be investing in 25 to 80
hours per year, which is at or
above most employers’
training targets per year.
Most organizations have
no idea what informal
learning occurs in their
organization; they
therefore could not have a
sense of its cost.

Consider these costs of informal
learning.
 Work time to study
 Formal instruction in informal
study skills
 Coaching by managers and others
 Subscriptions to knowledge bases
 External incentives and
recognition
 Setting expectations, especially
with mentoring, informational
interviews, and internships
 Suggestions for learning

Ano the r co st: Supporting
facilitators of informal learning
Who? Managers,
senior staff, and
mentors
Why? They serve
as the front-line of
informal learning.
What?
Provide rubrics for
observations
Train facilitators to
provide useful
advice
Train mentors for
their roles

Although your organization might
realize a paper savings, you might
not realize actual savings.

Instead, you might realize just-in-
time benefits of training that’s better
tailored to needs and interests.

Question 9
The Kirkpatrick model with its 4 levels—(1)
satisfaction, (2) learning, (3) transfer, and
(4) impact—is incompatible with informal
learning.
☐ Agree
☐ Disagree

Each level assumes a characteristic
that informal learning lacks.
Level Characteristic It Lacks
1 (Satisfaction) Well-defined event; could be
a meeting or chance
encounter
2 (Learning) Objectives
Appropriateness of
assessments
3 (Behavior or transfer) Awareness on the part of
learners—and others—that
learning occurred Objectives
4 (Impact) Business objectives

So use a different framework to
evaluation learning.
Individual Learning Learning Across Groups of
Workers
Identifying what workers
learned
Determining the extent of
use of resources for informal
learning
Identifying how workers
learned it
Assessing satisfaction with
individual resources
Recognizing acquired
competencies
Identifying the impact of
individual resources

Question 10
My company does not have an informal
learning program. Therefore, we really
aren't doing much around informal learning.
☐ Agree
☐ Disagree

99.99% likelihood that informal
learning occurs now—but you only
have limited awareness of it.

By building awareness of existing
efforts, you can support and extend
them, and increase their
effectiveness and impact.

Take-Aways
What is the most important thing you learned
in this presentation?
What one question remains?

Learn more about informal learning.

Informal Learning: The Basics

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